


Life is a Highway; The Destination is up to you.

by PridefulSinner



Series: Promised Roads. [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-08-28 13:58:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8448859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PridefulSinner/pseuds/PridefulSinner
Summary: Steve and Darcy make Camp in Wakanda, they're doing their best with the aid of Sam, Scott, T'Challa and Jane to make things right.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of the Promised Roads series, it won't make much sense unless you've read at least the previous installment.

Darcy sighed,  as she stared up at the ornate ceiling of her room in the Wakandan Palace. Blue eyes shifting to focus on the rest of the room, that was deemed hers for as long as she may need it. She was exhausted, both physically and emotionally that she was unable to appreciate the lengths the new King went through to assure she was comfortable. The kicker, was that they’d only been on Wakandan soil for just over twelve hours, the first four of which she spent in the same room where James slept.

Steve had to practically carry her to her room. It ached to leave James alone in that room, to know that even though she was so close he was so incredibly far from her. It was as if they were separated by worlds, not a few hundred feet.

She might as well be on Asgard, for all the good being here did.

"You should rest, Darce."

She startles, eyes focusing on the door connecting her suite to the one that was given to Steve, she hadn't heard it open; he probably never shut it.

"I know, but I just can’t still my mind, Steve. It’s Not for a lack of trying, promise..." She replies, huffing out a laugh and pushes herself up into a seated positon against the headboard of the broad bed; she’ll never be able to sleep in it alone,  she pats the space next to her and Steve slowly moves to the edge of the bed before joining her.

She promptly rests her head upon his shoulder and he, his upon hers. "I... Jane and I, we haven't talked in a couple of weeks, I don't know..." She sighs, rolling so that her forehead is pressed against his shoulder. "I don't know if she'd be willing to help, but she's the only option I have, her or Thor and I haven't heard from him in ages, I don't know what to do, but I don't want him to be in there longer than he has too... I don't want him in there at all!"

She fights back the urge to cry, she's so sick of crying it feels like that is all she's done this past month.

"We spent seven months together, Steve. Seven! And he not once lapsed into the Soldier, " She thunks her head back against the headboard, "He won't hurt me, I know he won't but I understand why he's scared he might. I've read the files, T'Challa left them in my room, I've read what happened while you were gone, and I know why he feels this is the best option, but... god I sound so selfish."

Steve reaches out to curl his arm around her shoulder, tugging her back against his side and resting his head against the top of hers once again. "It's not selfish, I don't want him in there either, I think we'd get through this better with him out, but it won't do him any good to be constantly on edge, wondering what word will set him off next, if the next thing he hears will trigger the soldier and he'll try to fight me again, try to kill me or worse, Try and kill you." He pulls back, tilting her head so that he can see her eyes, "Darce, he would never be able to forgive himself if he hurt you, there would be no coming back from that.”

Darcy sighs, eyes drifting down to her lap where her fingers are toying with the hem of her shirt, she nods because Steve is right, she knows he’s right. That knowledge doesn’t make anything hurt any less.

“I’m sure Jane will be willing to help, she’s had some time to think everything over and she loves you Darcy, and if she doesn’t wish to help, and that is a big If, we’ll be okay. I can find a way to get a hold of Thor myself, we will cross every bridge we have to, to make this better Darce, I promise. We’ll get him back.”

Darcy nods again, leaning into the comfort and warmth of the hand Steve places on her cheek as he pulls her forward to press a quick kiss to her forehead. “Try and call Jane, and then come and join Scott, Sam, T’Challa and I for dinner?”

“Yeah,” she hums in agreement, once again nodding her head, “Okay, I’ll be there shortly.”

Steve smiles slightly, the faintest upturn to his lips as he gets off the the bed and heads towards the door that conjoins their rooms, “Oh, and Steve?”

“hmm?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?” He asks turning, a puzzles frown on his face.

“Just, for everything, Thank you. I’ll be by soon, let the others know?”

He smiles again, it’s got the faintest hint of sadness to it, but he nods his head. “I will.”

She waits until she hears the quite ‘snick’ of the door closing before she even bothers to move. She picks her phone up from her bedside table, fingers idly tapping against the screen, scrolling through her home pages’ numerous times before moving to her contacts. She passes Jane’s name three times before she takes a deep breath and hits call, holding the phone up to her ear.

She listens to it ring, and ring and ring… and just when she’s about to give up and end the call she hears a quiet, “Hello?”

Darcy bites her bottom lip and lets out a sigh.

“Darcy?”

Squeezing her eyes shut she nods, fingers tightening around the edges of her phone, “Yeah, Jane. It’s me, Hi.”


	2. Chapter 2

Darcy, with the help of T’Challa, sets up her own little office space near where James’ is kept. The medical staff always knows when to leave her alone with the slumbering soldier and quickly leave the area to give them privacy. Sometimes, she talks to him, sometimes she reads and sometimes, she sits cross legged on the floor hands and forehead pressed against the cold glass and she cries.

She does not however, allow herself to wallow in her misery. Darcy keeps busy, after her talk with Jane; who apologized profusely, Darcy set out trying to find other ways to help James. Jane was doing her best, searching for any and all experts in the neuroscience fields. Both girls still tried to get hold of Thor, their only means of doing so, leaves them to scream, endlessly at the skies. It doesn’t seem to work, but it’s the only option they have.

Darcy may be a bit bitter, that neither she nor Jane received a response. Then again, neither girl knew what was going on in Asgard and if Thor was even okay. They tried not to dwell on that option too much, instead telling themselves he must be busy saving the nine realms. They had too much to worry about to add Thor to that ever growing list. He was a glorified god; he would be fine. It was something they had to tell themselves daily in order to accept it.

Blue eyes glance up from her computer screen, the lights in James’ cryochamber are dimmed, she could almost fool herself that he was simply sleeping in a silly upright bed, if it weren’t for the frost that gathered across the glass. She sighs, folding her arms on top of the desk and laying her head down on top of them. Not for the first time, she wishes she could reach out to Tony for help, or pick Bruce’s brain for his own ideas on what to do. She knows Tony likely isn’t ready to reach out to Steve and by extension James; she’d learned all the details of their battle from a very somber Steve one night when neither could sleep and both gathered around James’ chamber to seek some kind of comfort in knowing he was still with them, but that doesn’t make her want to ask any less. The fact that not a single call has come in from the phone Steve sent him speaks louder than any words possibly could and still, she finds herself wanting to call, just grab hold of Steve phone and bite the bullet and just call.

While she, Steve, Sam and Scott made Wakanda their home base and laid low for the time being, she made sure to keep in contact with Clint and Wanda and life on the farm. She Skype called and read stories over the phone, and when her anxiety got the best of her, she talked with Laura. No one could understand how she felt more than the woman in love with and married to the recklessly wonderful Hawkeye.

Time seemed to creep by, days seemed like weeks, weeks like months and it was two agonizingly long months later that she received a text message, or rather, Steve received a text message on the burner phone that matched Tony’s.

> _**I may know someone that can help, I’m sorry I can’t.** _
> 
> _**Charles Xavier; 212-555-9636** _

Darcy’s brows furrow as she re-reads the message several times over, it came in through the number stored as Tony’s.

She swipes the phone off of her desk where Steve left it to charge while he and T’Challa sparred in the gym and practically flies down hallway, screaming, “Steve!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This seemed A LOT longer when I wrote it originally.


	3. Chapter 3

Her heart is thudding painfully in her chest; it’s beat is in tune with each slap of her sneakered feet against the marbled floor. Darcy is not one for unnecessary exercise, she certainly isn’t one for running and yet she was sprinting as if her life was dependent on her reaching her destination. In a way, it was worse, because James’ life could quite literally depend upon her showing Steve the message.

She ignores the startled and confused looks she receives from the Wakandan’s she passes by as she runs full tilt to the gym she knew Steve and T’Challa preferred when working together. She shouted a rushed and breathless “Sorry!” over her shoulder at the security woman she nearly barreled into as she rounded the corner; no one really liked that lady anyway, before shoving open the large doors and skidding to a stop.

She nearly drops to her knees from exhaustion and lack of breath as she comes upon the Gym, Steve and T’Challa look up startled as she stands there, hands on her knees panting, face red and blotchy and eyes wide on the verge of manic, “Steve!”

The blonde shakes from his stupor and vaults over some sort of press bench that stood between him and Darcy as he rushes to her side, T’Challa follows at a more sedate pace, though the concern on his face is no less apparent. “Miss Lewis, are you alright?”

“Darce, what’s goin’ on?”

Darcy sags into Steve as he grips her upper arms, he’s all that’s keeping her standing at the moment, “Steve, look!” She thrusts the phone in his face and it takes him a moment to blink it into focus, brows furrowed in confusion as he reads the message several times over. “Charles Xavier?”

Darcy nods, “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before really, I mean it’s kind of obvious isn’t it? The man is brilliant and his mind! The things he can do with his _mind,_ Steve. He could _help!_ He could _help.”_ Her voice cracks as she stares up at the man holding her, hope blooming in her chest for the first time in the two months since they’d arrived.

Steve’s putting pieces together in his head, “Isn’t he the one that runs the school for the gifted?”

Darcy nods, her attention turning to T’Challa as well, “Professor Charles Xavier runs the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, it’s a school for gifted youngsters… those like Wanda.” She smiles softly, “Mutants. Professor Xavier is also the leader of the X-men, a group of mutants that lend a helping hand when the world is in peril, he is said to be the one of, if not the strongest telepath in the world, he could help. Well, Tony thinks so, anyway…”

T’Challa folds his hands in front of him, a regal stance that seems out of place as he stands there in the t-shirt and loose fitted cotton pants he wore to sparr in. “It seems, that if you two believe this Professor will be of help to the Sergeant, then we should make contact. We must not be hasty though, Miss Lewis. Remember, we still do not want the outside to know that Sergeant Barnes in here, it is for both his safety, yours and that of Wakanda.”

Darcy nods, “Yes, I know.” Her heart isn’t beating nearly as harshly against her chest anymore, and she can actually think properly, she looks up at Steve who is staring at the phone with a crease between his brows, before she turns back to T’Challa, “Please, I insist you call me Darcy, after everything. I think it’s best, I also don’t want to seem as if I’m not thankful for all you’ve done to help James’ since he’s been here, I do truly appreciate it. I’m sure he does as well…”

She smiles softly at the King who simply bows his head in acknowledgement, a smile tugging at his lips, “Very well Darcy, this is the least I could have done after the trouble I caused during the fight of the Accords, I truly wish the Sergeant well. He has lived a long, hard life. One I would not wish upon my worst enemies. I know now, that even if he had been the one behind my father’s death, it would not have been of his own choosing. I will not allow anger and revenge to cloud my judgement in such a manner again. If you two will excuse me, I have matters to attend too. I urge you to reach out to this, Professor Xavier, I only ask you are cautious with those you trust,” his eyes glance at the phone clutched in Steve’s hand, “and I will do what I can to aid in the Recovery of Mister Barnes.”

The pair nod, Darcy waving to the exiting King before she turns wide eyes back to Steve, her fingers digging into the flesh of his forearm. “We have to try, right?”

Steve looks down at her, smiling softly. He can practically see the excitement bubbling over with in her, see that seed of hope blossoming within in her chest, he wants to feel it too, but he is cautious.

“We will, but first. Let’s get Sam and Scott, you get your computer, we’ll meet in my room in fifteen minutes?”

Darcy huffs, but nods her head. “Okay, make it twenty though. I can’t run the length of the palace again like that and you could use with a wardrobe change.”

Steve laughs lightly, dragging his hand through sweat matted hair, “okay. Twenty.” He gives Darcy’s arm a gently squeeze and eases past her to make his way towards his rooms. The phone still clutched in his hand, there’s a pain in his chest as he finds himself missing the ease in which F.R.I.D.A.Y or J.A.R.V.I.S could gather everyone for a meeting, he misses the team, he even misses Tony for all they’d butted heads. He looks down at the phone in his hand once more as he enters his room, his fingers tap out a quick reply before he sets the phone down on a low lying table in the sitting area only to pull out his own personal one to request Scott and Sam’s presence on his way to clean up.

The screen on the burner fades as the message sends.

                _Thanks for the tip, really Tony. It’s appreciated. Thank You._

 


	4. Chapter 4

Darcy ignored the looks and murmurs as she makes her way back to her desk at a much more sedate pace than the one she previously took while moving through these halls. She offers quiet apologies at a few who are stooped picking up papers dropped or scattered, but she doesn’t stop to help.

She’ll make it up them later, but for right now she needs to gather her things and meet Steve like he asked. She hurries to her desk and gathers her computer and several notebooks in her arms, taking a moment to stuff them into the carrying case and slinging it over her shoulder.

She looks up and smiles sadly at the sight of James’ sleeping peacefully in his cryo-chamber. She passes through the glass doors that separate her work space from where he’s kept and quietly greets the medical staff in the room.

“Shall we leave you alone, Miss Lewis?” One of the doctors asks, Darcy shakes her head.

“No, it’s alright. I’ve got to meet Steve in a moment, I just wanted to say Hi.” She smiles softly and the doctor nods, turning to busy themselves elsewhere to give her and James some privacy.

Her finger tip run along the glass and she stares sadly up at his peaceful face, “Hey Handsome, we might have a solution to all of this. I hope so anyway, I just want you to be okay, I want to see your eyes open, I…” She sighs, pressing her forehead to the glass, fingers curling uselessly against the glass. “It’s still hard to sleep, I just miss you, terribly. Love you, Jame. See you soon.” She presses a kiss to her finger tips and her fingertips to the glass before she hurries out of the room and down the corridor that leads to where her and Steve’s Suites are.

She raises her hand to rasp her knuckles against Steve’s door before allowing herself in the room, she’s greeted by the familiar voices as she enters the room.

“It’s kind of weird that he’s reached out though, isn’t it?” Scott asks from where he’s seated on one of the couches, elbows rested upon his knees, hands hanging between them as he glances up at Sam who stood before him arms crossed in front of his chest with an unreadable expression on his face.

“A bit, yes.” Steve agrees as he comes from his bedroom, ruffling shower damp hair as he moves to help her with her bag. She simply rolls her eyes but allows him, she knows better than to argue with Steve.

“I want to know how much he knows,” Sam offers, scrubbing a hand over his face, “And who told him at that.”

“Natasha, Probably.” Clint’s tinny voice offers from the tablet propped on the table before Scott, “She’s stopped by the farm a few times to see the kids and make sure we’re doing well. I haven’t told her where you all are, but I’m sure she has a hunch.”

Darcy moves into the room, sitting down beside Scott and smiling warmly at Clint, waving as she looks around the room. “Does it really matter why though? Contrary to popular public opinion, Tony does have feelings, he is human. He has had two months to think over everything that’s happened. He didn’t want the Accords to end like this, he didn’t really ever really agree with them, did he? He’s got a lot of guilt weighing on him. Things that aren’t his doing and those that are, he’s trying to make amends. I’m not saying he’s ready to talk to any of you, but he’s trying to help, right?”

Sam huffs, he doesn’t offer anything other than the noise, but Darcy knows he’s thinking over what she’d just said, she also knows that Sam feels responsible to an extent, of Bucky’s current state. He was after all, the one that told Tony where to find Steve and Bucky in the first place.

She sighs, leaning back against the couch and closing her eyes.

“You getting any sleep kid, you look exhausted.” Clint voices, Darcy just flicks him off, not bothering to look at the tablet or the archer as she responds.

“I get enough, hopefully more if the Professor is willing or able to help.”

“I think we should contact the Professor, speak with him and tell him about what happened, what we’re trying to do and find out if he, or anyone he may know, is able to help Bucky, before we pull him from cryo-sleep.” Darcy hisses, and Steve frowns “Darce, you know I want him out of there as much as you do, but it’ll do him no good to be awake before we know if we’ve got answers or not, while I’m sure he’d be plenty happy to see you, he still feels as if he’s unwell. He’ll constantly be on edge and it won’t do anyone any good.”

Darcy groans, pinching the bridge of her nose as she sits up, looking at both the men in the room and the one on the screen, “Guys. I’m not going to argue, I know this is all for the best, it just really sucks okay? As selfish as it may sound, I really just want my boyfriend back. I don’t feel whole with him in this… limbo, and it’s fucked up. But I know it’s best he stays where he wants to be until we’re sure we have a possible solution. I also think we should maybe figure out a way to possibly get him another form of prostatic. I know he disliked the arm, but he’s bound to feel off balanced and weird with just the one. Wakanda is so technologically advanced, I’m sure with the schematics of the arm found in Bucky’s file, they’ll be able to make something. It’d probably go a lot smoother and better with Tony’s help, but…” She sighs again, raking her fingers through her hair, “I’m not going to press my luck with that one. Besides, it’ll be up to James really, on if he even wants another arm like that.”

“I can look them over, and talk with a few of the doctors, see what is salvageable from the aftermath of the fight, it won’t be the best solution, but it’ll be somethin’, I’m not Stark, but I’m sure I can figure something out.” Scott offers, scrubbing his own hand through his hair.

“Thank you, Scott.” Steve says as he settles down in a chair across from where Sam was still standing, “Clint, what are Wanda’s thoughts on all of this?”

Darcy laughs as Wanda’s accented voice filters in through the speakers, “Wanda can speak for herself, I am still not pleased with Stark, my trust in him has returned almost to the amount of trust I had of him in Sokovia. But I do believe Darcy is right, he is trying. I.” Wanda pauses, “When I was with Ultron, when I toyed with Starks mind, I saw what he feared most, and this is as close to that as you can get. His biggest fear, was the death of his team at his own hands. This, what has happened after the accords, I believe, it is how he sees that fear coming to life. It is not something he ever wanted.”

Darcy looks to Steve and frowns before asking, “What about the Professor, Wanda, do you think that is a good idea?”

“Yes Darcy, from my own research I have found that Professor Xavier may have answers to James’ dilemma, if he is unable to help himself, then he is sure to know another who can.”

Darcy’s blue eyes search the faces of the room around her, “Well then, it’s settled? We’re calling Professor Xavier?”

Sam and Scott nod, Wanda and Clint give a thumbs up and Steve shares a look with Darcy, she can finally see the hope settling a bit in him, for the first time since they arrived together in Wakanda.

“Yeah, Darce. We’re calling the Professor.”

 


	5. Chapter 5

They’re seated in one of the many meetings rooms in the Wakandan Palace. Darcy is a bundle of nervous energy as she sits there, fingers fidgeting cuffs of her jacket as she waits.

Waiting is not fun, but it is something she must do in times like these.

With T’Challa’s blessing and aid, they made contact with the Professor and T’Challa agreed to allow the man and a few of his associates to visit the Island so that they may discuss such delicate matters personally. No one doubted the security of the telecommunication line in the palace, but when things were as sensitive as they were. It was far better to be safe, than to be sorry.

Darcy is seated before various files on James’, his past, present and everything in between laid out before her on printed paper. Scott is looking over a few of the files himself, a pen clenched between his teeth while Sam stands sentry at the window, looking out over the foggy Cliffside as they waited for Steve to return with their guests. Not only was the Professor and his associates arriving, but Clint and Wanda were flying in for the occasion as well.

It’s taking everything in her, not to bounce her leg or tap her pen against the table top to get rid of some of her more nervous energy.

Instead she simply tugs and toys with the loose strings of her jacket.

The faint sound of heeled boots against marbled floors alert her of new comers. She startles and stands quickly, smoothing her hands over her thighs to even out any wrinkle on the soft linen dress pants she wore.

Sam moves to her side, placing a gentle hand at the small of her back, assuring himself that she’s well before his arms are once more folded across his chest. Scott doesn’t look up from the papers in front of him.

The door sings open easily, and Darcy smiles at Clint as he holds the door open to allow Wanda in before him. She quickly walks to the pair and envelopes them both in tight hugs. “Thank you for coming,”

“We are a team, are we not?” Wanda asks, giving Darcy’s arm a squeeze and returns her smile before she steps aside to greet Sam and pester Scott.

“If the Professor is able to help, we wanted to be around to help too. Barnes isn’t alone in all this, he’s got more than just you and Cap in his corner, we thought it’d be nice if he knew that.” Clint says as he winds Darcy into his own hug, “and besides, Lila demanded I give Aunt Darcy the necklace she made.” The archer pulls a braided cord necklace, it’s in various purples and blue and holds a shiny silver star charm in its center. “Said you could use somethin’ pretty from home.”

Darcy smiles, taking the necklace in her hand, fingers grazing over the metal charm before she hands it back to Clint and turns, holding her hair up so he can fasten it in place. “Lila is a very smart girl, if all goes well later, I will have to skype her to thank her proper. Thank you, Clint.” She presses a kiss to the archer’s cheek once the necklace is in place and moves back to her previous seat and settles down in the chair with a soft sigh.

“Steve went to meet with T’Challa so that they could greet the Professor together, they’re arriving at the airstrip rather than the landing pad here at the palace. T’Challa is being cautious. As well he should, but I’m just impatient.”

Sam laughs, reaching out to give Darcy’s shoulder a squeeze, “Aren’t you always, Darcy?”

She merely scowls at the hand on her shoulder, not deeming him worthy of a vocal reply.

Clint snickers softly, and Darcy’s glare turns to the Archer. It causes Wanda to giggle and Darcy to huff in annoyance.

“Screw you guys, you all suck.”

The room bubbles with warm laughter that slowly trickles off as the doors open once more. Darcy has a white knuckled grip on her arm chairs as Steve holds open the door for those accompanying him. A woman with a shock of white hair, a burly man with crazy side burns and another man wearing a pair of tinted red sunglasses proceed the Professor and T’Challa that follow after them.

Darcy catalogues those that entered the room, the woman is surely Storm, the men… She thinks are Cyclops and Wolverine.

The hand Sam never took from her shoulder squeezes before dropping.

Darcy swallows and clumsily stands on her feet as Steve steps up besides the professor with a pleasant smile on his face, “Professor Xavier, I would like to introduce you to my team, This is Sam Wilson, Scott Lang, Clint Barton, Wanda Maximoff, and Darcy Lewis. Alternately, they are The Falcon, Ant-man, Hawkeye and The Scarlet Witch.”  He gestures to each person as he lists their names and they all respond with a pleasant smile and small wave. Darcy can’t help the nerves bubbling over in her belly.

“Everyone, this is Professor Charles Xavier, Logan Howlett, Ororo Munroe and Scott Summers, or Wolverine, Storm and Cyclops.”

Darcy wiggles her fingers in shy greeting before squaring her shoulders and letting out a breath, “Thank you so much for coming, really. It means a lot to me, to all of us.” She shares a look with each of the new comers before her gaze settles upon the Professor who smiles back and guides his chair to the table.

“It is our pleasure, Miss Lewis. Shall we sit?”

Darcy lets out a breath before she nods, retaking her seat that ends up between Steve and Clint. The Professor is seated across from Steve, Logan and Scott on either side, with Ororo on Logan’s left, T’Challa sits beside her. Scott, and Wanda find seats while Sam settles on Steve’s other side.

“Now, I know that nature of this visit has something to do with your friend, Sergeant Barnes?” The Professor asks, folding his hands on top of the table.

“Yes, sir. It was brought to our attention, or rather.” Steve sighs and scrubs a hand over his face, “Tony Stark gave us your number, we believe it to be as a sort of olive branch as he hasn’t replies to us since, you see, Professor. Bucky...”

Darcy reaches out and takes Steve’s hand in her own, squeezing his fingers as she looks at the quartet of relative strangers in front of her, “James has spent the past seventy years of his life, in and out of a cryochamber, he has had his mind wiped multiple times by various means, one of which was electroshock therapy. The files are before you, you are welcome to look through them.” Her grip on Steve’s hand goes white knuckled, but she can’t stop. They need to know if the Professor is able to help, and the only way they’ll know that, is if he knows everything. “They scrambled his brain countless times, but it appears the longer he’s away from that type of treatment, the less potent the conditioning he’s gone through is. However, as the aftermath of the Accords proves, there are still things buried deep in his mind that not even he knows about, words that trigger the Winter Soldier, force him to comply and bend to the speakers will. A set of these words were kept in a Journal that was lost upon capture of Zemo who was the last to speak them. James has willingly submitted himself back to cryofreeze as he is afraid he will hurt people again, that someone will say the words and he’ll be switched to a killer again. He spent the last seven months in Bucharest with me, he not once slipped into the Soldier, he had nightmares and would get a Thousand Yard Stare, but he never lashed out negatively. Not to me, and Steve says that’s one of his biggest fears right now, hurting me.”

She takes a deep breath, squeezes her eyes shut a moment and exhales slowly. “I know he’s capable of fighting this, I understand and respect his wishes, but we were hoping that perhaps, you’d be able to help. Find the trigger words, destroy them, shield them, something. Find any others that may linger? Help him remember the past, before the fall and the Torture. You are, at the moment. Our only option of helping him sooner, rather than later. Wanda has an ability that may help, or at least, we believe she does, she came about her powers in a terrible and unique way, so we’re not entirely sure of their extent. She does not wish to risk it.” Darcy reaches across Clint to grab Wanda’s hand and give it a reassuring squeeze before turning back to the Professor. “He’s spent most of the past seventy years in Cryosleep, We don’t want him to have to endure it for a moment more than necessary.”

As she was speaking, both Ororo and Logan picked up one of the files, they’d flipped through them and Darcy could tell by their expression that the pair were disgusted by what it was they were seeing.

Darcy releases Wanda’s hand, but keeps a tight grip on Steve’s, The Captain responds in kind, running his thumb against her hand and squeezing back.

The Professor folds his hands before him, his head tilted slightly to the side, Darcy has no doubt he is communicating with one of the others with-in his mind.

 

“Miss Lewis, I can tell you care very much for Mister Barnes.” He begins, a kind smile upon his lips, “I do believe I may be able to help him, however, there are matters we must attend to first.”


	6. Chapter 6

_“Miss Lewis, I can tell you care very much for Mister Barnes.” He begins, a kind smile upon his lips, “I do believe I may be able to help him, however, there are matters we must attend to first.”_

 

Darcy isn’t sure why, but her heart is beating rapidly in her chest as the words leave the professors lips, she clutches Steve’s hand tightly, her grip white-knuckled and nervous. She’s not sure what he means, and that terrifies her.

Steve returns the pressure and turns his attention the four seated across from him, “What matters might that be, Professor?”

“First off, I would like to extend an invitation to Ms. Maximoff. Those of us at the Institute would be pleased to aid you in better learning about your powers. You may not have received them in the same manner that many of us have however, that does not mean that we cannot help you. You may consider the Institute’s doors always open to you, Miss Maximoff.”

Darcy’s eyes turned to Wanda who seemed surprised at the offer, the other Brunette’s own hand is gripping tightly to Clint’s, she inclines her head just so. “That would be lovely, and most appreciated Professor, Thank you.”

Professor Xavier smiles softly and nods at Wanda before he turns his attention back to Darcy and Steve. “The next matter, is that of Mister Barnes. I am unsure if I will be able to completely remove or find all of these triggers, as you call them. It all depends on the means in which everything is hidden with-in his mind. I understand he is currently in Cryo-sleep? For any of this to happen, I would first need to speak with him. While it main be less painful for him while asleep, I will not delve into his mind without first speaking with him and covering all options and receiving is express permission. It may also prove easier and more efficient if he were awake during the process in general.”

Darcy smiles softly and Steve gives her hand another quick squeeze. “That is perfectly acceptable, Professor. I wouldn’t feel right doing anything without Buck’s approval first.”

“Excellent. Now, King T’Challa, I understand that your medical staff are the ones currently keeping watch over Mister Barnes?”

T’Challa nods his head, “That they are, between the data dumps previously done by Agent Romanoff and S.H.I.E.L.D, and the files we’ve acquired from other sources, we have been able to successfully put Mister Barnes into Cryosleep, his vitals have been steady and he otherwise seems to be perfectly healthy. From the files, we learned they typically thawed him quickly and immediately subjected him to electro-therapy. With the aid of a Doctor Helen Cho, we have devised a much safer and comfortable way to wake Mister Barnes. Similar to how Captain Rogers was thawed from ice.”

“Excellent, I suggest that we begin the process soon, yes?”

Steve and Darcy both nod, looking to T’Challa.

“We can begin the process as early as tomorrow morning, I can have rooms drawn for you and your colleagues, Professor. You are welcome to stay here as long as needed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know the wait has been long and this is wicked short. Inspiration was being a pain, and whenever it struck other things got in my way. I have tried pecking at continuing this chapter, but it seems this is an okay place to put this for now. 
> 
> In other news, YAY LOOK AT WHATS COMING?!


	7. Chapter 7

Darcy stood with a white knuckled grip on her forearms as she watched the medical staff through the viewing window as they settled James’ into his new room. She couldn’t sleep. Of course, it was of no surprise that she couldn’t sleep, they were after all beginning the process of waking James up. All the possibilities of what could possibly go wrong were running through her head keeping her awake. She figured if she was unable to sleep, she’d feel better at least waiting until she could sit with him.

Logically, she knows he’s been through this before, in far worse conditions than he was currently far quicker than was likely safe but still, she worried.

She trusted T’Challa and his staff, but this was James and she found that in general she didn’t trust anyone with his wellbeing aside from Steve. The fact that they were trusting not only T’Challa; a man who had been on the hunt for James’ head not too long ago, and Professor Xavier; practically a stranger to them both, was setting her nerves on edge.

She sighs watching as her breath fogs the glass before her, the condensation preventing her for a moment from seeing someone come up behind her.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” The warm voice startles her and she jumps, turning her body slightly to the side so that she can see her companion out of the corner of her eye while her focus is still fully on the room before her.

“No, you?”

Steve steps closer, crossing his arms over his broad chest as he joins her in watching them re-set all the necessary wires, drips and machines. James was still with-in his cryo-tube and would remain there until his temperature was leveled out and he could be transferred to the bed in the room.

“Don’t really need much these days.”

Darcy’s lips quirk into a little smile, “Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of it when you can.”

Steve leans against her a bit, his body a solid warm wall of muscle against her side, their arms touching. “I could say that same for you, Darce. You’ve not gotten much sleep since we’ve been here, don’t think I haven’t noticed.”

She scoffs, digging her elbow into his arm with a huff. “That’s the real reason our rooms connect huh, so you can worry and fret over me and my sleeping patterns. I thought that was my job.”

Steve smiles softly, his own blue eyes focused on where his friend slumbered, Bucky’s skin was still pale and ice and frost still clung to the chamber but there was a bit more color to his cheeks. “I can’t let you have all the fun, Darce.”

“Such a gentleman.” She teases, leaning into his side, “Do you think this is a good idea?”

“I think it’s worth a shot. Regardless of what happens, it’s going to take him a while to not think he’s dangerous. The slip in conditioning rattled him more than he let on, he may never trust himself again. But,” Steve exhales, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, “We can’t let him stay in there forever, it’s not right. And what if something happened to me, or T’Challa while he was there? He’s better where he can defend himself, then being helpless in suspension. The time on ice helped him heal, physically at least, but not mentally.”

His lips quirk into a little smile as he looks down at Darcy, “It’s not going to be easy, and it’s probably not going to be fun, but it’s a risk I am willing to take.”

Darcy hums, watching the doctors bustle about in the room. “I agree. He’s been through enough, he should be able to at least try and live the rest of his life as peacefully and comfortably as possible, not as a human ice cube.”

Steve chuckles lightly, wrapping an arm loosely around Darcy’s shoulder and giving them a squeeze. “No one deserves to be a human icecube for all eternity.”

“ ‘cept maybe Hydra.” Darcy mumbles much to Steve’s amusement, he just give her another little squeeze.

They stand together in comfortable silence a little while longer, watching as the amount of doctors slowly dwindles down to two manning separate stations in another part of the room. Leaving James alone, for the most part.

“You going in?” Steve asks, Darcy simply nods.

“I’ll go grab you some things from your room. T’Challa told me this could take a while.”

With a kiss to the top of her head, Steve turns and heads back towards their rooms.

Darcy must take a deep breath to calm her nerves before she enters the room. She walks slowly over to the Cryochamber and presses her fingers to the glass, followed by her forehead and closes her eyes, whispering against the glass, “Te iubesc, te rog trezeşte-te în curând.”

Raising her gaze, she traces the lines of his face through the glass before pressing a kiss to her fingertips and then to the glass. She stands a moment longer, simply tracing the lines of his face, re-memorizing the dips and curves of his neck and shoulders before she turns and takes one of the seats beside the bed James would be transferred too within the next few hours.

The chairs were obviously chosen with her and Steve in mind. They both seem large enough for the super soldier to sit comfortably, while she could curl up in it almost completely.

And that how Steve finds her fifteen minutes later, curled into a ball using her arm as a pillow as she dozes off. He smiles, setting her bag down beside the chair and drapes a throw blanket gently over her sleeping form. He doesn’t want to risk waking her, so he sets a pillow from her bed on the one before her and settles into one of the other chairs in the room, pulling a book from his own backpack and settling into the chair to read.

Darcy sleeps for a few hours and is gently shake awake by Steve, “Darce. Let’s grab something from the kitchens real quick. They’re going to move Buck to the bed, and we’ll only be in the way. You’ve not eaten anything since lunch yesterday.”

She has to blink the man in front of her into focus, her missing from her face. “Hmm?”

“Food, Darce. C’mon.” Steve presses her glasses into her hand and she reluctantly agrees to follow.

Their meal is a quiet affair, Darcy still half asleep and Steve worrying over something with-in his own head while they munch on homemade French fries and chicken sandwiches.

“I’m going to go sit in with Wanda and Professor Xavier for a while, if you want to join? They’re going to try and figure out the extent and limitations of Wanda’s powers.” Steve offers as they both stand the place their plates into the sink.

Darcy smiles softly, shaking her head. “No thank you, but let Wanda know I’m rooting for her, won’t you? I’m going to go back to James’ room. I may call Laura. I owe Lila a reading, anyway.”

Steve nods, his lips quirking into a small smile and he gives her a quick hug. “Alright, but call me if anything changes or you need me, okay?”

“Promise.”

They exit the kitchen and turn down opposite hallways.

When Darcy comes back to James’ room, she notes it’s been rearranged. The bed is still where it had been originally, but the cryochamber is gone and the chairs have been moved. Darcy and Steve’s belongings are settled in one chair, now angled towards the end of the bed while the other has been moved to the right side.

James still has wired and machines around him, but he’s now tucked into the soft cotton bed sheets, his good hand resting atop the blanket as he sleeps.

Cautiously, she moves closer and settles down into the chair closest to James’ beside. His eyelids are twitching and one of the monitors is lighting up with the activity, the heart monitor is on and blips are showing up few and far between but they are there. He’s got an oxygen tube stretched beneath his nose and hooked behind his ears and his skin looks a bit rosier, healthier and above all, more lively.

Tentatively, she reaches out and wraps her hand around his, he’s cold to the touch but it feels amazing to be able to feel his skin against hers again. She leans forward and presses a kiss to his knuckles before she settles back into her chair. Hand holding his as she picks a book from her bag and taps her ipod to life, music plays softly in the background. It’s mostly a mix of instrumentals that swell and sway, music scores and classical covers. She smiles softly and gives his hand a light squeeze before she swings her legs over one arm of the chair and she opens the book to read out loud.

Steve comes and goes, checking on both James and Darcy, bringing her food and sitting for a while, listening to her read to James in a foreign tongue. Steve could pick up words here and there he had, after all, learned French and German in his time, but there were words that weren’t quite right and he realized that Darcy was reading of all things, Harry Potter to James in Romanian.

She simply shrugs as she thumbs the page over and gives Steve a smile as she starts on the next page.

Darcy sets the book down to sleep, curled in her chair when the sun sets. Steve can’t convince her to leave the room, but he does make sure she’s covered with a blanket and that she won’t get too bad of a cramp in her neck which sleeping.

He returns with breakfast in the morning and sits to listen to her read for an hour before he returns to aid T’Challa with something.

She’s nearly at the end of the book, still reading the story out loud, much to Steve and the medical staff’s amusement, she’s even tried to adapt voices for the various characters, but it proves difficult. Her Romanian is out of practice,

  
"Sever?" Quirrell râs, și nu era obișnuit tremurător tripla lui, fie, dar rece și ascuțite.

"Da, Sever nu pare a fi tipul, nu el? Atât de util să-l picaj în jurul ca un liliac năpădită de buruieni. Următor → cel care s-ar suspecta p-p-sărac, st-balbism P-profesorul Quirrell? "

 Harry nu a putut lua. Acest lucru nu a putut fi adevărat, nu a putut. "Dar Snape a încercat să mă omoare!"

 

The hand in her twitches and she pauses before Quirrell can explain how his plan to kill Harry had been foiled and turns her gaze away from the book to the person in the bed beside her. She is greeted by a pair of amused gray-blue eyes and a warm squeeze of her hand. “Hey there handsome. Fancy seein’ you here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta-d, nor has it been fully fleshed for errors. I just wanted to get this done before Christmas. (I missed by 15 minutes in my time zone, but eh.) If I didn't post now, I'm not sure that It would've ever gotten done. So.  
> Yeah. 
> 
> All Romanian comes from Google Translate, I am sorry if it is butchered.  
> TA-DAH. 
> 
> Happy Holidays everyone!


	8. Chapter 8

His lips quirk, and he must try a few times before he’s able to speak properly. “I thought we got your accent sorted out back in Bucharest?”

Her eyes are glassy as she sets the book face down on the arm of the chair her feet had previously been dangling over and scoots forward, gathering his hand in both of hers, bringing it closer so that she can press a kiss to his knuckles. “Yeah, well. It seems my tutor had a sabbatical to go on, or something. I got a little rusty.” The laugh that follows is a bit watery as she’s trying very hard not to cry.

James pulls his hand free from her grip, bringing it instead to cup her face, his thumb brushing away the evidence that she wasn’t exactly successful in that particular area. “I’m sorry about that, Doll. Please don’t cry.”

Darcy sniffles, one hand resting on top of the one he has placed on her cheek, while she wipes at her face with the back of the other. “sorry, ‘s just I’m happy. I missed you a lot, is all. I should probably let Steve and the doctors know you’re awake so that they can check you over.” She can see the medical staff gathering just outside of the room, giving the pair a moment of privacy.

He twists his hand, so that their fingers are laced together and brings them down to his own lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “Make it quick?”

“I won’t even leave your sight.” She promises, pointing to the window where just yesterday she’d stood watching, she presses a kiss to his forehead as she stands.  “te iubesc, frumos.”

“Se eu te iubesc, superb.”

She doesn’t want to let go of his hand and it takes longer than it probably should for her to gather her phone and to move just outside of James’ room, her eyes on him the entire time as she listened to her phone ring for what seems like ages.

“Darce? Darcy… you there? Everything alright?”

She shakes her head sniffling as she wipes at her eyes with the back of her hand, letting out a watery laugh, “Yeah. Steve, Sorry. I’m just, a little all over the place. He’s awake, I told him I’d tell you.”

Steve lets out his own shaky breath, “That’s… that’s great. I’ll be there in ten, I’m at the air strip with Sam.”

“Ten-four, Captain.”

Steve laughs lightly, “Keep him outta trouble till I get there, yeah?”

Darcy laughs, catching James’ eyes through the glass. “From what I hear, don’t you usually carry all the trouble with you?”

Steve laughs, “Yeah well, don’t let the Jerk fool ya.”

“Got it, Steve. See you in ten.”

She pulls her phone from her ear and ends the call, stuffing the device back into her pocket before she moves to re-enter the room.

The Doctors were keeping a respectable distance, not wanting to approach without permission as they checked vitals and reports from afar.

Darcy settles back into her chair, “Steve says I gotta keep you outta trouble.”

James lips quirk in a small smile, holding his hand back out to her, “He’s the one that’s walkin’ trouble. Don’t know what he’s playin’ at.” His voice is rough and raw, scratchy from disuse and she watches as he tries to wet his lips.

Darcy dutifully laces her fingers back with his, “That’s what I said, but he’s stubborn. Is it all right if the doctors come closer? We can see about getting’ you a drink or somethin’.”

James’ tenses a bit, the heart monitor blipping a bit faster before he relaxes and nods his head, “Yeah. S’fine.”

She’s surprised that he is so coherent, she can tell by the muttering between the medical staff that they are too, but Darcy guesses it has something to do with how it was he was put into Cryo this time more than anything. The choice had been his own, he was thawed properly and not immediately put into some sort of torture for a next mission.

She licks her lips and sits back, her hand staying in his own as she gestures the doctors closer. They read vitals, check the IV drip and attach another bag of fluids. She’s given a small cup of water as they leave and a warm pat on the shoulder.

“Thank you,” She whispers to the Doctors as they move back towards their own office area, “For taking such good care of him.”

The head Doctor’s lips spread into a small smile, replying “You’re Welcome, Miss Lewis.”, before taking her leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am well aware this is short, I am well aware this is probably more unrealistic than normal. However, I can't keep beating myself up over reworking this chapter or it will never get finished. 
> 
> I am still very much interested in anyones idea's and input on what should happen in the future chapters of this story. As always this is beta-read by no one but myself, and I would still also like someone to re-read the series and fix up all my terrible grammar/writing mistakes. 
> 
> Much love to all of you who take the time to read and revist this story. <3

**Author's Note:**

> I had to post this in hopes that it would get me itching to write more, I have a few more "Chapters" of this done, (one completed for sure.) I need your help in brainstorming where to take this and how we get out beloved Bucky back to those that care about him most!


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